


Love In The Dark

by jachaelas



Category: Manifest (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, Divorce, F/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23746090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jachaelas/pseuds/jachaelas
Summary: She could've driven anywhere that night, stayed in a hotel, gone to Ben's house, or even stayed at Drea's if she really needed to. But that night Michaela pulled up outside of his house, and knew that was where she needed to be.
Relationships: Michaela Stone & Jared Vasquez, Michaela Stone/Jared Vasquez, Zeke Landon/Michaela Stone
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	Love In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> hi! season 2 broke me because I really hate the way they're forcing zekaela onto us so this is just a oneshot with some jachaela mutual pining cause I miss them and I hope we get our endgame in season 3 since no endgame ship would get married in the second season!

Nights where Michaela wasn't able to find an excuse to work longer hours sucked. Not because she didn't like going home to Zeke, but because she enjoyed her job so much that she frequently stayed until much later than everyone else. However, deep down Michaela knew that the real reason she had been staying so late was because of Jared. Whenever she stayed, he did too, and it was one of the only times in her life when things felt right. Before the plane disappeared, Michaela and Jared were together pretty much 24/7, and it threw everything off for her when she went more than a day without seeing him. It was easier a few months before that, since Michaela was trying to make Zeke's life as good as it could've been before he died. Now though, she was married, with no real plans for a future with Zeke. It had been fine when they shared callings, and when they spent most of their time talking about the death date. Soon enough after Zeke survived, Michaela realised that they weren't as connected as she'd thought. 

Michaela did have plans for a future, the perfect future. But since the age of 15, all of Michaela's future plans started with 'Jared and I'. She still went to Jared about everything, including her callings which Zeke had more experience with. Her current dilemma didn't seem to be one she could discuss with him, yet he was the only person who knew her well enough to truly understand how to help her when she wasn't able to help herself. 

Jared Vasquez was in love. He was right when he proposed, the second he met Michaela Beth Stone he fell in love with her. He didn't just love everything that most people liked, he loved every single thing that may make her seem imperfect in anyone else's eyes. But he was in pain, because he knew something was wrong with Michaela, and didn't know if it was his place to ask. She'd seemed happy for a while after marrying Zeke, maybe a month or so, before she started acting a little differently. Jared told himself not to interfere, and instead enjoyed the time he had with her, driving her home from work nearly every night. Her apartment was further from his house than the precinct was, but he didn't care as long as he got to spend an extra ten minutes or so with her.

That night Jared and Michaela were both not feeling their best, both with their own problems that they couldn't share with each other. Jared pushed away his feelings as always before turning on the radio, which happened to be playing one of the songs Michaela used to listen to almost all the time, to the point where Jared knew all the words from her singing it in the shower so often. When she was gone he listened to it a lot, and that night, even after years of not hearing it, he still knew every word. He didn't say anything, but saw Michaela look over to him out of the corner of his eye. 

'This used to be one of my favourites,' Michaela smiled, thinking back to a different time than Jared. It was her 26th birthday, her last birthday before the plane disappeared. She woke up without Jared beside her, but he walked in a couple of seconds later, the music he'd been listening to in the kitchen still playing. _'All About You'_ by Mcfly was her one of her favourite songs, and Jared knew that. He made her breakfast that morning, which they ate together in bed before spending the whole day with each other. She'd been thinking about that day a lot recently, although she wouldn't admit it to anyone. 

'I know.' Jared replied, trying to smile a little. He pulled up to her apartment complex before the song ended, and Michaela didn't leave. 

'You ok?' Jared asked, as Michaela nodded, her eyes looking almost watery.

'Yeah. I just, got lost in my thoughts.' She responded before flashing a smile and getting out of the car. As she headed up the stairs, she tried to clear her mind of her past with Jared, and walked into her apartment with a somewhat convincing fake smile. Zeke had saved food for her, and sat down at the table with her as she ate. Although, she didn't finish more than a mouthful because she felt sick to her stomach about what she had to tell Zeke. 

'So I've been thinking,' Zeke began, as Michaela bit her lip nervously.

'I want to start a family.'

Michaela froze. It had only been a couple of months since she'd married Zeke, and everything was going too fast for her.

'You don't have to say yes straight away or-'

'I'm still in love with Jared.' She blurted out. This wasn't the way she planned on saying it, and she was hoping to have more time to process everything, but she didn't have much of a choice anymore.'

'What?'

'After the plane, I never stopped loving him. After the shooting, everything with the callings, your death date, I don't know what I was thinking.' Michaela replied, staring at the ground as Zeke stood up.

'Did you ever love me?' Zeke asked. Michaela walked over to him and took his hands.

'Of course I did, but I can't do this to you anymore.'

'Michaela, we got _married.'_

'I know,' Michaela nodded as she started to cry. 'I never meant to hurt you.'

'I'll go, and come back for my stuff tomorrow,' Zeke shrugged, before Michaela stopped him.

'No, I'll leave. This is my fault.'

Michaela grabbed a bag and threw in a pair of shorts and a vest top, some clothes for the next day since she'd still need to go to work, and some toiletries. 

'I didn't want to hurt you, and I'll always care about you, Zeke.' Michaela said in barely a whisper, taking his hand one last time before letting go and leaving.

At first she just sat in her car. Michaela wasn't sure how long she cried for before she pulled herself together. This must be what Jared felt like when Lourdes left, she thought to herself. The only place she could think of heading to was Ben's, so she began to drive in that direction. However she soon found herself going a different way, and when the car stopped she wondered if it was even a good idea to get out. She could've driven anywhere that night, stayed in a hotel, gone to Ben's house, or even stayed at Drea's if she really needed to. But that night Michaela pulled up outside of his house, and knew that was where she needed to be. Michaela was certain he'd be asleep, and was still shaky as she rang the doorbell. When Jared answered, she instantly felt guilty for waking him up, but he didn't seem to mind too much.

'Michaela?' 

'Hey. Could I crash on your couch?' Michaela asked, as Jared suddenly became concerned.

'Come in,' Jared replied with a nod, turning on a few more lights and heading into the kitchen. Michaela sat down on one of the chairs in the living room, as Jared walked in and sat on the sofa a couple of feet away from her. 

'Do you want to tell me why you've shown up at my house past midnight?' He asked with a weak smile. Michaela shook her head, and Jared understood. He got back up and went into the kitchen again, as Michaela heard him rustling around. She was too exhausted to go and see for herself what he was doing, so she waited until a few minutes later, when he walked back in with two mugs. 

'Here,' Jared handed Michaela a mug as she realised that he'd made them both hot cocoa. 'You look like you need it.'

'You didn't have to,' Michaela replied, gently blowing at the steam. 'I'm sorry for just showing up without an explanation, I can go to Ben's instead if it's easier.'

'Mic. I'm here for you, always. Got it?' Michaela nodded, as Jared took a sip of his drink.

'I'm leaving Zeke.' She said, sounding almost numb. Jared's eyes widened as he put his mug down on the table.

'I'm sorry. I didn't realise you guys were having problems.' He responded, still in shock.

'We weren't. It was my fault.' Michaela began to get upset at the thought, and tried to mask it by drinking some of her hot cocoa. Jared used to make it for them in the Academy on colder nights, when the heating was broken. Jared knew her all too well, and took her mug out of her hands after she'd finished, set it down and pulled her into a hug. It was then that she started to cry again. She'd always felt so safe in Jared's arms that it was easier to be herself when she was around him. After a few minutes, she pulled away and wiped away her tears. 

'So you don't mind if I sleep here tonight?' Michaela laughed a little shakily.

'Course not. But you're not sleeping on this sofa.'

Michaela shook her head, confused before Jared nodded towards the stairs.

'Take my bed.'

'Jared I'm not-'

'Yes, you are. The sofa is years old. It'll kill your back, I'll sleep on it.'

'J-'

'Go.'

Michaela didn't argue further, grabbing her bag and heading up the first few steps before turning back to Jared.

'Thank you, for this.'

'It's noth-'

'No, Jared, I mean it. Thank you.' Michaela interrupted, and she wasn't sure if she was thanking him for letting her stay with him, for the hot cocoa, for being there for her, or for all of those, but that night she fell asleep feeling a tiny bit better.

Michaela woke up only about an hour after she fell asleep, and as she regained consciousness and remembered everything, she got up and sprinted to the bathroom. It must've been only a couple of seconds after she started to throw up that Jared woke, and ran up the stairs. 

'Michaela?' Jared tried to open the door, but it was locked. She unlocked it less than a minute later, as Jared grabbed a glass and filled it with water for her before sitting beside her on the bathroom floor.

'Stress?' He asked, handing her the glass. 'I remember how you used to get,' Jared reminded her, thinking back to the times where Michaela would get sick with nerves before exams.

'What do I do now?' Michaela asked, taking Jared aback slightly.

'You go back to sleep, because you need to rest.' 

'Sorry for waking you,' Michaela replied apologetically as Jared shook his head.

'You don't need to be sorry, Michaela.'

She managed to sleep through the rest of the night, and woke up the next morning much later than she usually would. Michaela soon realised that Jared had already left for work, which was confirmed by the note he'd left in the kitchen.

'Left for work, take a sick day. Breakfast on the counter - J'

She looked up at the paper bag on the counter and opened it, finding pastries from the bakery she used to go to with Jared. Managing to eat a little, she sat down and tried to figure out what she was supposed to do next. And as for Jared, he was still trying to hide the fact that he was hopelessly in love with the girl he couldn't be with.


End file.
